GM eats her meal cold. That’s why she had ordered scampi. It didn’t matter. Crap Dad & Grumpy Mum had been on kid patrol since they arrived.

For the best part of an hour they had been following the kids around the family pub, before the food had even arrived. Other family members helped out periodically, which was helpful, although sometimes a bit too overwhelming for them and they soon retired. Everybody coped really well though. Especially the girls.

As they were leaving, CD’s Dad (gan’da to LML) approaches GM, with Lolly in arms.He gives them both a huge hug.

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“Mummy, there.” says LML as she points to the cooling towers in the distance with their white / grey steam drifting in the wind.

“Yeah, they’re cloud makers.”

Later.

As bath time finishes and LML and Lolly are dried Grumpy Mum says, “It’s traditional to have new PJ’s on christmas eve.” and reveals new pairs of christmassy pyjamas that have been warming on the radiator.

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The mostly functional parents sat having a drink with Crap Dad’s parents at the end of a long day

It had started early, as usual. Grumpy Mum had spent the previous evening packing so they were organised and proceeded through the morning routine without much of a hitch.

The taxi to the train station arrived a few minutes late but they had plenty of time. As they were almost at the station Crap Dad realised that he hadn’t picked up the train tickets. “Turn the taxi around please, we need to go back” said Crap Dad laughing at his stupidity. The taxi driver laughed “Two things you can’t leave without,” he says “the tickets and the kids.”

Despite travelling during their morning nap time both LML and Lolly are on their best behaviour. Which isn’t to say that they are the best behaved kids travelling on the busy train, just that for them they were reasonably well behaved.

LML asks instantly, “Where Pippa?” Pippa is Nan and Granddad’s dog. It is a refrain they will hear repeatedly over the next half hour as the travel to the grandparents home.

For the rest of the afternoon “Pippa” is just about the most exciting thing in the world. Chased, stroked, patted. The dog is in constant demand. Both kids are beside themselves when the dog licks them or comes to sits beside them.

After the kids have gone to bed, LML asking to go to bed early, hardly touching her snack or milk, the dog collapses in a heap exhausted from an afternoon with Lolly and LML. The mostly functional parents know how she feels.

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GM lays in bed, drifting, LML sleeping against her body, warm and relaxed. Her hand is lightly resting on LML’s ribs, and she can feel the soft breathing. LML turns a little, and her hand moves to GM’s face. For a few seconds she strokes and caresses GM’s cheeks and mouth, then sighs and turns away, snuggling into the warmth of her mother.